Budiey
WWII: Asia Occupied
Premieres 15 to 17 February, Wednesday to Friday, 9pm & 10pm
The South East Asian leg of World War Two took place when the Japanese invaded Singapore, a major British military base in February 1942. It resulted in the largest surrender of British-led military personnel in history, with the fighting in Singapore lasting about a week.
This series of programs commemorates the 70th Anniversary of the fall of Singapore and celebrates the courage of the soldiers from around the region. An original AETN All Asia Networks local production, in collaboration with FINAS, Novista & Primeworks Studios, Rising Sun Over Malaya will take viewers through the dramatic experience of the Japanese Occupation and how they over threw the British rule.
Battlefield: The Fall Of Singapore recounts the utter capitulation by the British Empire in losing their Eastern stronghold, while the brutality that befell the abandoned Chinese is related in The Sook Ching Massacre. Also witness the idealism and pride of five women who survived in Fighting For India: The Woman Who Dared.
Relive the harsh fighting conditions that the Hong Kong soldiers faced during the time they were under the Japanese Occupation in THREE YEARS AND EIGHT MONTHS IN HONG KONG, or feel the anguish of the 500 resistance fighters as they were captured and then escaped from prison in PHILIPPINE RESISTANCE: REFUSAL TO SURRENDER.
BATTLEFIELD: THE FALL OF SINGAPORE Premieres 15 February, Wednesday 9pm
During 1941 and 1942, under the baking Pacific sun, the world was introduced to the terrible power of the land of the Rising Sun. Japanese aggression, which had begun for the Allies at Pearl Harbor, led to the fall of Singapore to the Japanese. It had been Britain’s most important Eastern base – now a force of 130,000 men under the command of General Percival surrendered to General Yamashita. It was a low point for the Allies,

and there was a hard road ahead – but a road that would culminate in the development of the atomic bomb and the crushing defeat of the seemingly invincible Japanese.
RISING SUN OVER MALAYA*
Premieres 15 February, Wednesday 10pm
*a 2012 HISTORY Asia Local Production in collaboration with FINAS, Novista and Primeworks Studio
Everyone believes that the Pacific War between the Allies and Japan was unleashed at Pearl Harbour on December 7 1941. In fact, this momentous conflict began two hours earlier on Sabak Beach in Kelantan, Northern Malaya.
Using vivid eyewitness accounts, “Rising Sun Over Malaya” will draw the viewer into the dramatic story of how the Japanese swept into Malaya on tanks and bicycles, pushing demoralized British forces aside with ease. After the British fled, the Japanese and their dreaded secret service – the Kempeitai – imposed a reign of terror and murdered tens of thousands of Chinese civilians in what is now known as ‘Sook Ching’, or “cleansing by purification”.
The Japanese ruled with an iron hand – insisting on the most punctilious behaviour – often beheading those who stepped out of line. They kidnapped thousands of young women and forced them to work as sex slaves in so called comfort stations. Other Malayans ended up working on the notorious ‘Death Railway in Burma. Many people of Malaya struggled for survival.
“Rising Sun Over Malaya” tells the stories of ordinary heroic Malayans who resisted Japanese rule and lived to tell the tale.
The documentary also focuses on the two-week interregnum period, between Japanese surrender and British reoccupation, where Malayans were forced into another period of tyranny and terror. Now the people were being cast from the frying pan of brutal wartime occupation to the hellish fires of political anarchy and chaos.
“Rising Sun Over Malaya” will be the first comprehensive documentary of the turbulent times in Malaya. It will not only preserve memories of the war for posterity but will also serve to arouse in each of us an appreciation of the freedom we enjoy today.
“Rising Sun Over Malaya” will be shown on the 70th anniversary of the fall of Malaya on the History Channel.
Short Synopsis
The Second World War in Malaya from 1941-1945 was a time of darkness and despair – where innocent lives were lost and blood ran freely. The Japanese ruled with an iron hand, slaughtering tens of thousands of Chinese citizens. They forced young women to work as sex slaves, and tricked others into working on the notorious ‘Death Railway’. The people of Malaya struggled for survival. When the Japanese surrendered in 1945, Malaya plunged into a period of turmoil that brought it to the brink of civil war. But amidst the fire and ruins, sparks of resilience and courage grew. The painful war experience gave a great impetus to a new awakening. “Rising Sun Over Malaya” tells this little known story through the eyes of the people who experienced the occupation first hand.
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
About HISTORYTM
HISTORYTM is the leading destination for revealing, award-winning original non-fiction series and event-driven specials that connect history with viewers in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a diverse variety of historical genres ranging from military history to contemporary history, technology to natural history, as well as science, archaeology and pop culture. Among the network’s program offerings are hit series such as Pawn Stars, American Pickers, Ice Road Truckers, Hidden Cities, World War II: The Lost Films, Battle 360, The Universe and Monster Quest. For more information, please visit www.historyasia.com.
About National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (FINAS)
National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (FINAS), a corporation within the Ministry of Information Communication And Culture Malaysia was established in 1981 to encourage, to preserve and to develop the film industry in Malaysia. FINAS has since set up numerous facilities to promote the industry, as well as market Malaysian films to the world. For more information on FINAS, please visit http://www.finas.gov.my/
About Novista Sdn Bhd
Established in 1991, Novista is a leading documentary maker based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Run by husband and wife team Harun Rahman and Lara Ariffin, the company offers full video production services and post-production facilities. It produces many award winning productions both domestically and internationally. The company is unwavering in its commitment to quality, creativity and excellence.
Some of Novista’s work include “The Highland Towers Disaster” for the History Channel, which was “Highly Commended” for Best Current Affairs Documentary at the Asian Television Awards 2011 and winner for Best Current Affairs Documentary at the Malaysia Documentary Awards 2011, “The Malayan Emergency” for the History Channel, which won Best Script at the Malaysian Documentary Awards 2010, “Among the Great Apes with Michelle Yeoh” for National Geographic Channel, which won Best Wildlife Documentary at the Asian Television Awards 2010 and the Malaysian Documentary Awards 2010. Other productions include the “SMART Tunnel” for National Geographic Channel, “On Borrowed Time”, Best Local Film at the Malaysian Eco Film Fest, “Temengor – Biodiversity in the Face of Danger”, Best Documentary at the Malaysian Film Festival 1998.
About Primeworks Studios
Primeworks Studios Sdn Bhd is Malaysia’s biggest production company, producing TV content since 1984 and feature films since 1994, generating over 5,000 hours of TV content and 10 movies annually. Primeworks’ content reaches a varied audience across multiple language, ethnic and age groups throughout Malaysia and has also been aired
abroad.
BIOGRAPHIES
Chris Humphrey – Executive Producer, AETN All Asia Networks
Chris Humphrey is a British born TV producer based in Singapore. After working for a BBC magazine in London, Chris taught English and music to secondary school students in and around his hometown of Cambridge UK. It was after working as a travel writer that Chris came to Singapore in 1998 and set up his own production company. He has produced for Discovery Channel and National Geographic

Channel before joining AETN All Asia Networks as Executive Producer in 2008, following 10 years of television production.
Lara Ariffin – Producer/Director, Novista
Lara Ariffin trained as an architect, but is now firmly committed to documentary making. She has been part of the Novista team since 1996. Lara is responsible for productions at all levels from research and development, directing, producing and editing. She has produced many award winning productions both domestically and internationally including “Among the Great Apes with Michelle Yeoh” for National Geographic Channel, winner for best wildlife film at the Asian Television Awards and Malaysian Documentary Awards 2010, “On Borrowed Time”, Best Malaysian Film at the Malaysian Eco Film Fest, “The Malayan Emergency” for History Channel, “Temengor – Biodiversity in the Face of Danger”, Best Documentary at the Malaysian Film Festival 1998.
Harun Rahman – Director/Cameraman, Novista
Novista’s founder Harun Rahman is an avid documentary filmmaker with more than 20 years’ experience. He majored in film production at Minnesota, then pursued a career in film and television. He has directed and filmed many award winning productions both domestically and internationally including “Among the Great Apes with Michelle Yeoh” for National Geographic Channel, winner for best wildlife film at the Asian Television Awards and Malaysian Documentary Awards 2010, “On Borrowed Time”, Best Film at the Malaysian Eco Film Fest, “Temengor – Biodiversity in the Face of Danger”, Best Documentary at the Malaysian Film Festival 1998.
Harun Rahman is currently a supervising producer for the Malaysian Film board’s (Finas) “Malaysia to the World 2011” initiative and currently working on a production for a new History Channel documentary to be aired early next year.
THE SOOK CHING MASSACRE Premieres 16 February, Thursday 9pm
1942. The British colony of Singapore falls to the Japanese. The victorious army seeks revenge. They will not forget that for 7 weeks, the city’s
Chinese population fought alongside the British. They will not forgive the Singapore Chinese for opposing their war in China, for sending funds to help the Mainland China and for boycotting Japanese goods. The Japanese are determined to purge the ringleaders. The order goes out for all Chinese males to report for registration immediately. What followed was a week of terror. When it ended, thousands had died. The Japanese admitted to killing 5000. The Chinese estimated the massacre claimed 25,000 lives.

FIGHTING FOR INDIA: THE WOMAN WHO DARED Premieres 16 February, Thursday 10pm
Japanese forces sweep down from newly conquered China. In planes, tanks, on foot and on bicycles they arrive in Southeast Asia pledging a new world order. One by one the colonial empires in the region collapse before their advancing armies. The British are caught unaware, as Malaya, Burma and Singapore fall before the sudden onslaught.
In India there is one man, Subhas Chandra Bose, who sees this as a golden opportunity – to use the weakened state of the British at war, to finally oust them from his homeland, India. His story is well known. But what is less well known is the story of the women who followed him. The story of the one thousand Indian women of South East Asia who are brought together in one of the modern world’s first female combat units.
The Rani of Jhansi Regiment; Young, idealistic, fresh from the harsh conditions of Malaya’s rubber plantations, they leap at the opportunity to help win freedom for India.
Fully armed and trained for combat roles, they proudly march alongside the men of the Indian National Army to attack the British where they least expect it – across the border of Burma and India.
This is the story of their journey and their battles, their courage and their fears, told by five of the survivors of that extraordinary regiment.
THREE YEARS AND EIGHT MONTHS IN HONG KONG Premieres 17 February, Friday 9pm
On December 25, 1941, British-ruled Hong Kong was forced to surrender to the Japanese after 18 days of fierce fighting. Japan would occupy Hong Kong for the next three years and eight months. Relive this famous time in Hong Kong’s history, as the Japanese rule would pervade all ways of life, as Hong Kong knew it.
PHILIPPINE RESISTANCE: REFUSAL TO SURRENDER Premieres 17 February, Friday 10pm

General Douglas MacArthur famously promised ‘I shall return’ before retreating but this was possible only with Filipino guerrillas bravely fighting on.
The film also relates how Richard Sakakida, a first generation Japanese-American, together with members of the Filipino resistance, helped the escape of 500 resistance fighters from prison.
